Best Type of Water Conditioner?

[HooKooDooKu]

The bottle of Prime has a smell <when you open it>, but it is not that strong. Once you add it to the water, there is no smell at all.

BTW - most conditioners use the same sulfur compounds, you can't smell them simply because they are really diluted...

ditto

In the case of Prime, you are only adding two drops per gallon. From the moment I use the stuff, I've never noticed any smell. You are only using enought to offset the very small quanities of things like chlorine in tap water. Can you smell the chlorine? Most of us would answer no, so the same will go with the sulfer in these products.

 

[timwag2001]

I don't see why you would want to add aloe (or anything else) to your fish's slime coat ... Mother nature had millions of years to perfect the slime coat, I am not sure we can improve on it.

i don't do use it for the aloe, i use it to condition my water. but why not try to help the slime coat at the same time. i'm not saying the slime coats damaged or needs anything, but if it helps it helps.
my skin dries out and i use lotion. my skin isn't necesarily damaged but the lotion helps to keep it more moist

 

[kreesdqban]

i don't do use it for the aloe, i use it to condition my water. but why not try to help the slime coat at the same time. i'm not saying the slime coats damaged or needs anything, but if it helps it helps.
my skin dries out and i use lotion. my skin isn't necesarily damaged but the lotion helps to keep it more moist

I agree. Yeah mother nature does a great job with most things, but sometimes she needs a little help.

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

I've been using API water conditioner with great results.

 

[timwag2001]

ok... i switched to prime because i was having a nitrate problem (now solved) and it also provides slime coat. i think that i'm sticking with prime now. my only gripe with the product is trying to measure out enough for only 15 gallons which is 1.5 ml. kinda a pain in the ***. it's probably about as much fluid that comes out of my mouth when i sneeze, which i also have trouble measuring

 

[jrp1588]

that's what I love about the stuff. you aren't paying for an overly diluted solution

 

[HooKooDooKu]

ok... i switched to prime because i was having a nitrate problem (now solved) and it also provides slime coat. i think that i'm sticking with prime now. my only gripe with the product is trying to measure out enough for only 15 gallons which is 1.5 ml. kinda a pain in the ***. it's probably about as much fluid that comes out of my mouth when i sneeze, which i also have trouble measuring

What's the problem?
Turn the bottle upside down and...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
and you're done.

 

[GhostKnife]

I use stress coat and like it. You can also dose more to repair damaged fins... never done it but

 

[GhostKnife]

Also about the slime coat... Your aquarium isnt exactly mother nature... You are the mother and your house is the nature so maybe a little slime coat protection wouldnt hurt.

 

[Dano01]

FYI...Too much of these slime coat enhancers can cause slime to build up in the gills and suffocate the fish.

 

[timwag2001]

What's the problem?
Turn the bottle upside down and...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
drip...
and you're done.

lol. you must not have the same bottle as i do. the opening of the bottle is about the size of a dime. there is no turning the bottle upside down and getting a drip.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

lol. you must not have the same bottle as i do. the opening of the bottle is about the size of a dime. there is no turning the bottle upside down and getting a drip.

I have the little 50mL bottle of Prime with a flip-top/dropper. My instructions simply say add two drops per gallon of water.

Of course my post was ment to be funny in the notion of having to count out so many drops.

But if you have to accurately measure out small amounts of Prime, then I would suggest a syringe. Try asking at your local drug store. We've had to use syringes to measure out small amounts of liquid medications for children/infants all the time. One of the most common sizes is the 5mL syringe. We must have thrown out about a dozen the last time we cleaned up the medicine cabinet. Actually, we are currently having to measure out 1.5mL of medication for treating Reflux.

 

[timwag2001]

thanks for the advice!

 

[Talon242]

I use the API Tap Water Conditioner, the one without the aloe added.

 

[kreesdqban]

Or you can use your 5 ml test tubes from your water test kits...

 

[fishfan12]

my favorite is actually stress coat, but only for my goldfish, my tropicals hate it. i know everyone hates stress coat but i think it is amazing.

 

[kreesdqban]

Amazing in what sense? What is it that your tropicals don't like?

 

[fishfan12]

i think the stress coat does everything it is supposed to and more. and i don't know why my tropicals don't like it they may be allergic to it i'm not sure.

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

I use the API Stress Coat, it is a conditioner + a medicine if you use more of it. Perfect for me, been working great for me for around a year, still going strong.

 

[missileman]

I use AquaNova or Amquel Plus, works fine for me.